We have been dreaming of a vacation for so long! We had quite a few busy months recently and wanted to take a little mini trip together to soak up some sun, spend some quality family time, and just unwind, well as much as you can with kids (haha). It was also my hubby’s birthday so I thought a trip to Palm Desert would be the perfect little trip to celebrate him! Here is a little recap of our 36 Hours in Palm Desert!

I used to go all the time to Palm Desert as a kid and loved it! It’s just a 1.5-2 hour trip from San Diego and it feels like you’ve gone to a whole new state! I have so many memories of swimming by the pool, going shopping on El Paseo and riding bikes along the palm tree lined streets! It’s honestly one of my favorite places!

We left San Diego early Sunday morning and it was just starting to drizzle and was in the low 60’s. But once we got to Palm Desert, it was beautiful, sunny and in the 80s and 90s, with a cool breeze! The weather was perfect! I love the desert, especially in the Spring months because the weather is just so beautiful! And those desert sunsets are so majestic with its pink skies framing the mountains.

I thought I would where to stay, what to do, and what to pack for a fun little weekend getaway! I had so many people DM me on Instagram asking questions so I thought this post would be super helpful!

Where to Stay

For this trip, I decided to book the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage! It’s one of my favorite resorts, not only because the hotel and grounds are amazing but it is centrally located just minutes from all the fun things Palm Desert has to offer!

The property itself is just a few miles from Palm Springs, and is surrounded by beautiful palm trees and the backdrop of mountains. It really is so picturesque and they have done such a great job at maintaining the grounds. I was obsessed with the numerous colors of the bougainvillea and how beautiful all of the landscaping was! I wish I took more pictures!!

Splashtopia

The main reason we chose this hotel was for Splashtopia! It’s basically a mini waterpark on-site for both adults and kids. You have a 425-foot lazy river, two 100-foot waterslides, a splash pad, a sandy beach area for kids to play in, and a little splash pad with fountains, sprinklers and different water features! I mean you could literally spend all day here and not leave the hotel! There is also a family pool connected, as well an adult pool near the entrance of the resort.

We went swimming everyday and loved being in the lazy river! It was so fun to float around, take breaks to zoom down the water slide (almost lost my top on that one) and soak up some much needed Vitamin D.

Because of COVID, the jacuzzis, saunas and steam rooms are temporarily closed and pool capacity is limited! We actually got wristbands for each day and because the resort wasn’t too busy when we went we were able to get the wristbands for the 9-1pm sessions and the 2-6pm sessions so it worked out for us!

We had so much fun here and it’s so fun for both kids and adults!

Other Amenities

The resort also has five restaurants on site, including a coffee shop, 27 holes of championship golf, a 24 hour fitness center with Pelotons (you better believe I took advantage of that) and a 20,000 square foot European Spa! It truly has everything you need!

One of my favorite things about the resort was the birds! You could hear them chirping so loudly at night around sunset! It was so beautiful to listen too! I would sit outside on our patio and listen to them! Such a sweet sound!

I highly recommend staying here for a fun-filled weekend!

Things to Do

LIVING DESERT ZOO AND GARDENS: There are so many things to do, but if you are going for just a little weekend getaway, I highly-recommend visiting the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. I’ve gone quite a few times and I just love coming here. You can feed a giraffe, ride camels, visit the different exhibits and enjoy some fun shows! My girls love coming here and they are always adding new attractions! You need to make reservations but it is a fun activity for both kids and adults!

EL PASEO SHOPPING DISTRICT: If you are looking for some great shopping, look no further than the Shops on El Paseo. This is the prime shopping area, nestled right at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains, where you can shop name brand boutiques, ranging from high end luxury to casual finds! It’s so pretty with the palm tree lined streets and the different art galleries dotting the streets! Definitely a must visit if you want to spend some time shopping!

CABAZON DINOSAUR MUSEUM: This is such a fun, quick little stop to make on the way to Palm Desert or on the way back home! We stopped on our way home and my girls loved it! It was sooooo windy though so we ran inside to the gift shop (located inside the pink dinosaur), took some pics and ran back inside! It was super fun though and if you want more of an experience, there is a dinosaur trail where you can dig for dinosaurs digs and fossils or climb into the mouth of a T. Rex. You can also mine for gold! It’s a fun little pit stop if your kiddos are getting restless! Just be sure to bring a sweater because that part of town can definitely be windy!

One thing I love doing when I go to a new city is trying a local coffee shop! We were just down the street from the Rancho Mirage Koffi location, which has an onsite roasting room, so we made sure to pick up my favorite Honey Vanilla Oat Milk Latte! It was so good and the smell of the freshly roasted coffee is just amazing!

There is so much to see in Palm Springs/Desert Area! From hiking and riding in the sand dunes to visiting art galleries and shopping, you will definitely not run out of activities!

What to Pack

Depending on what you do while you are in Palm Desert, you really don’t need to pack too much! I like to keep it simple, throwing in a couple of bathing suits, cover-ups and easy dresses! Be sure to protect your face from the sun and bring a long a hat or two! I always have my go to Brixton Hat, but am eyeing this one too! You can easily dress an outfit up with a little block heel or espadrille platform! And if you go to the zoo or do something more active, I love this high neck tank (such a great price), this denim romper or these cute paperbag shorts! Pack it all in this weekend bag and you are good to go!

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Hopefully this post helps you plan a fun little getaway! Whether you have 36 Hours in Palm Desert or a whole week, there is so much to do and see! If you haven’t been to the desert, it is definitely a must visit! And please don’t hesitate to message us or leave a comment if you have any questions or need any recommendations! We are happy to help!

And don’t forget to check out our last blog post about the Sephora sale, you can definitely stock up on all your beauty and skincare faves!

Hope you have a great week!

xoxoxo,

kari

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